Presser mechanism for sewing-machines.



C. M. HORTON. PRESSER MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10 19m.

1 ,279, 1 1 2 Yatented Sept. 17', 1918.

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' CHARLES M. HORTON, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGN'OR TO' THE SINGER 1 MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PRESSER MECHANISM FOR SEVVING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

Application filed October 10, 1914. Serial No. 865,990.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. HORTON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Elizabeth, in the county ofUnion and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presser Mech-- anism for Sewing-Machinesof which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a presser mechanism for sewing machines for stitching heavy fabrics, such as canvas belting in which it is necessary to apply a heavy pressureto the fabrics while being stitched. Machines of this class have heretofore been provided with heavy coiled springs surrounding the presser-bar and as so constructed the tension of such spring on the presser-foot had to be overcome during the feeding operation and in raising the presserfoot for removal or insertion of work, the latter requiring considerable elfort on the part of the operator.

.The object of the present invention is to provide a presser mechanism which will avoid the objections above referred to which will not retard the fabric during the feeding operation and which will permit the raising of the presser-foot without excessive elfort on the part of the operator and at the same time will insure a strong and uniform pressure of the presser-foot upon the, material while the stitchesare being set.

This has been accomplished in the preferred embodiment of the present improvement by the provision of a resilient member in the form of a spring-lever for depressing and raising the presser-bar. As constructed, this member performs two functions, viz. that of exerting pressure upon the presserbar during thesetting of the stitches, which pressure is relieved during the work-feeding operation, and that of a presser-foot lifter when it is desired to insert or re- To this move work in process of stitching. end, in connection with the resilient member, a lever-mechanism is employed which, when set in one position, will cause such member to perform its function as a presserspring, while, when set in the opposite position it will cause it to act as a lever for raising the presser-bar. In the preferred form of the improvement one end of the spring-lever is suitably mounted in a relatively fixed support remote from the presserbaron the sewing machine bracket-arm, and

in a bearing upon the bracketarm, the other I Y end of said rock-shaft carrying a handle within convenient reach of the operator;

In order to intermittently relieve the pressure of the presser-foot upon the material during the work-feeding operation, the relatively fixed support for the resilient lever, is formed as a movable plunger actuated by a 1 cam on the mainshaft.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevatlon showmg a portion of the bracket-arm with its supportfor the resilient lever and the connection of said member'with the presser-bar and 'presserfoot in lowered position. It also shows the lever mechanism for bending or distorting the resilient lever. Fig. 2 is an end view of the bracket-arm showing the needleand Presser-bars and means for actuating the same. Fig. 3 1s a sectlon of the bracket-arm near the lever mechanism. Fig. 4 is a sectionaltop view of the bracket-arm showing the mechanism for vibrating the needle-bar. Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the end block of the bracket-arm showing the rock-shaft and its parts for vibrating the swinging needleand presser-bar frame, andFig. 6 is a perspective view of the needleand presser-bar frame.

As represented in the drawings, the bracket-arm 1 has suitably journaled therein the main-shaft 2, that portion of the shaft extending into the head 3 revolving in a bearing-bushing 4 secured against rotation by the set-screw 5. Secured to the mainshaft 2 is the cam-disk 6 which drives the needle-bar 7 by means of the link 8 apertured at one end to embrace the screw-stud 9 tapped into the cam-disk 6, and at the oppo site end to embrace a bearing stud 10 formed on thehead 11 and retained on said stud by 'means of the washer 12 and screw 13. See

which comprises a swinging frame 16 formed with a bearing-stud l7 journaled in the upper portion of the head 3. The bearing stud 17 has a reduced portion 18 entered by a segmental washer 19 retained in position bythe set-screw 20 passing through the upper portion of the head 3. The lower portion of the swinging frame 16 is provided with a seat 21 bearing against the head 3, the frame being held against said seat by means of gibs 22 secured to the head 3 by screws 23. The frame 16 is provided with a bearing boss 24 for the needle-bar 7, and suitable openings 25 for the presser-bar 26 carrying at its lower end the presser-foot 27.

As. the presser-bar 26 is journaled in the swinging frame 16 it moves laterally with the needle-bar 7 during its work -advancing movements. The movement of the swinging frame 16 is derived from the cam-dlsk 6 provided with a cam-path 28 entered by a roller-stud 29 carried by the arm 30 secured to one end of the rock-shaft 31 upon whose other end is clamped a depending arm 32 embracing a bearing block 33 journaled upon a pin 34 carried by the laterally projecting arms 35 of the swinging frame 16. The

rock-shaft 31 is journaled in the bearing block 36 secured to the side of the head 3 by screw-studs 37.

Secured to the upper end of the presserbar 26 by a pin 38 is a block 39 affording a support for or connection with the presserbar of one end of the yieldingmember or spring-lever 40 maintained in contact with said block by a stud 41 having a head'42, entering an aperture in the end of lever 40 of sufficient size to permit a slight lateral movement of the stud 41 dueto the swinging movement of the frame 16 during the work advancing movements. The stud 41 is rigidly held in the block 39 and is prevented from turning *by the set-screw 43. To'limit the rise of the presser-bar 26, its

block 39 is provided with a lateral lug 44 which strikes the head of a stop-screw 45 which passes freely through an aperture in said lug and is tapped into the head 3, the stop-screw 45 being held in adjusted position by the lock-nut 46. From this it will be observed that the lift of the presser-foot 27 above the work-plate can be regulated to suit the thickness of the material being stitched by setting the stop-screw 45' to the required position and tightening the locknut 46 against the sewing machine head 3. The descent of the press'er-bar 26, due to the action of the resilient lever'is limited by the lateral: lug' 44 of the block 39 striking against the lock-nut 46.

Sustained in the upper portion of the bracket-arm 1, remote from the'presser-bar 26, is a *relatively fixed support for V the other end of the yielding lever 40. It comroller'52 to impart rising and falling movethrough a suitable opening in the lever 40 clamped on said stud by jam-nuts 50. The

stud 49 is provided with another jam-nut 51 by which the lever 40 may be adjusted relatively to the plunger 47 for varying the pressure of the lever upon thepresser-bar 26. The plunger 47 is recessed at its lower end to receive a roller 52 journaled on a cross-pin 53 held against endwise movement by the set-screws 54. To prevent the plunger 47 from turning in the bushing 48, the latter is slotted at 55 to loosely embrace thelpin 53. 7 w

A cam 57 is'secured by means of the set screw 56 upon-the shaft 2 and actsupon the ments tothe plunger 47, which operates automatically through the lever 40 to alternately apply and relievethe pressure upon 7 the presser-foot.

Intermediate the plunger 47 and-the block 39, forming the end'supports for the lever 40, a lever mechanism'is provided for deflecting said member and which when set in one position will exert pressure upon the presser-bar and when moved into another position will raise-the presser-foot.-

It comprises a connecting strap or stirrup 58 clamped upon the lever 40'by a set-screw 59, and having journaled upon its lower end a pin 60, held in position by screws 61, a depending link 62 whose other end is secured by a pivotsserew 63 toa crank-disk 64 of the rock-shaft 65 journaled in the bearing boss 66 integral with the bracket-arm 1.. Clamped upon the rock-shaft 65 by a screw 67 is the operating handle orcrank-arm 68.

To limit the throw of the crank-disk 64 when the resilient lever 40 is deflected, the flange 69 of the bearing boss 66 is provided with two stop-screws70 against which, the 11 'presser-foot 27 each of which movements is first assisted and then opposed resilience of the lever40. r 7

As shown in Fig.1,the presser-foot is in its: lowered position with one end or the lever 40 resting,without pressure, .on the block 39' while its other end is sustained by the plunger-stud 49. In this neutral or'inby the 'termediate position of the parts no-pressure is exerted by the presser-foot upon the fabric which may be under the same. To impose pressure upon the fabric, the operating handle 68 is turned in the direction of the presser-bar, 26 rmtil the crank-disk 64 rests against the lower stop-screw 701at the same time communicating its downward movement, through the link 62, to the connectmg strap or stirrup 58 embracing the lever i0 which it lowers, bending or sprlnglng 1t downwardly. In this position of the parts the maximum pressure is exerted upon the fabric. To raise the presser-foot 27 from the material, the operating handle 68 1s turned toward the plunger 47 which brings the crank-disk 64: into elevated position so that it rests against the upper stop-screw 70, at the same time communicating its upward movement, through the link 62, to the connecting stirrup 58 embracing the leverflO which it raises with it, bending or springing it upwardly, the lever 40, through its contact with the head 42 of the pin 41 entermg the upper end of the presser-bar 26, raising said bar with its attached presser-foot 27.

The pin 60 carried by the stirrup, and which is raised and lowered by the link connection with the crank-pin 63, constitutes a shiftable fulcrum for the resilient member or spring-lever 4:0 controlling the efiect of the cam 57 carried by the shaft 2 in alternately applying and relieving pressure upon the presser-foot 27.

To prevent the accidental shifting of the operating handle when once set in either position, the stop-screws 7 O on thefiange 69 are located slightly to one side of the center of the rock-shaft 65 so that the crank-disk 64 must pass beyond its dead-center position before it is arrested by either of the stopscrews 7 O. Y

From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that the resilient lever 40 performs two functions, first that of a spring to compress the material between the presserfoot and work-plate while the stitches are being set; and second, that of a lever for raising the presser-foot when it is desired to insert new material or remove the finished product, the present construction avoiding the use of the objectionable coiled spring customarily applied to the presserbar which in machines for stitching heavy fabrics requires considerable effort to compress in order to raise the presser-foot.

It is evident that the present presser mechanism is not limited to the specific construction nor to its embodiment in any particular type of sewing machine, the essential feature of the improvement being the use of a resilient lever to perform the dual function of a presser-spring and a lever for raising the presser-foot.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser-bar, of a support, a resilient connecting member between said support and presser-bar, means acting through said member for raising and lowering the presser-bar, and a stop acting in opposition with a presser-bar, of a resilient member, a;

connection between the presser-bar and reslllent member, a support for one end of the resilient member, a crank-arm, and a connection between the crank-arm and resll lent member to manually deflect the .latter n V opposite directions.

4:. In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser-foot and a movable support therefor, of a resilient member connected with said support for maintaining said presser-foot in an intermediate position, and means applied to said resilient member for raising and lowering said presser foot relative to said position.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser-foot and a presser-bar, of a support remote therefrom, a resilient member sustained by said support and presserbar for maintaining said presser-foot in an intermediate position, a crank-arm, and a connection between the same and the resilient member for raising and lowering said presser-foot relative to said position.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination with the presser-bar of a rock-shaft, a support therefor, a crank-arm upon said rockshaft, a connection including a resilient member between said crank-arm and presser-bar for raising and lowering the same and a stop on said support beyond and ad jacent the dead-center position of the crankarm in its movement to an extreme position.

7. In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser-foot, of a manually operated presser-bar raising and lowering element, a connection including a resilient member between said element and the presser-foot, and means to automatically relieve the pressure of the resilient member upon the presserbar.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser-foot, of a manually operated presser-bar raising and lowering element, a connection including a resilient member between said element and the presser-foot, and means comprising i a reciprocating plunger and an actuating cam therefor tointermittently relieve the pressure of the resilient member upon the presser-bar. I

9. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming and feeding mechanisms, of a presser-bar and presser-foot carried thereby, a manually operated presserbar raising and lowering element, a connec tionincluding a resilient member between said element andpresser-bar, and automatically acting means to reduce the pressure. of the resilient member upon the pressen; bar during the action of the feeding mechamember for said supports, a crank-element,

and a connection between the crank-element and resilient member to positively deflect the latter in opposite directions.

11. lna'sewing machine, in combination,

.a presser-foot, a movable supporttherefor Copies of this-patent may be obtained. for

a spring-lever, means for: rocking said spring-lever, and a .shiftable fulcrum for said spring-lever for changing its: effect upon the presserfoot. 'i r 12. In a sewing machine, in combination, apresser-foot, a supporttherefor having a fixed range ofmovement, a spring-lever, means for rocking said spring-lever anda shiftable fulcrum "for Y said spring-lever for changing its effect upon the Presser-"foot In testimony, whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses; f Y

' CHARLES M. HORTON; v

Witnessesi H. A. KORNEMA'N J r., s CHAS. S. HAYES.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ht Patents,

Washington, D. c." j 1 V 

